Un soave non so che

The series of musical excepts from Giachino Rossini's operas, entitled "Master of Belcanto", continues with new uploads and a whole new concept.

I decided to do something a bit different for my new upload: a compilation based on a single theme which is featured prominently in all selections. The first theme is love (what else :)?). The compilation is entitled: "Tornami a dir che m'ami".

Originally, I had planned a more diverse program which would have included arias as well as duets. But when I saw the size of the content I wanted to upload (the remaining compilation is about two hours long), I decided to do love arias as a separate series.

The chosen items include love scenes from the very first to the very last operas by Rossini. We start at "L'occasione fa il ladro" with a simple pastoral duet and finish at the beginning of the second act of "Guillaume Tell" with a romantic grand scena. Such an approach gives us a chance to understand how Rossini's composing style changed with each passing year. The presented excepts are listed below with some notes detailing their characteristics.

As the whole compilation is quite large, I'm going to upload everything slowly.

1) «Se non m'inganna il core» for Alberto and Berenice from «L'occasione fa il ladro».


2) «Quanto e dolce a un'alma amante» for Florville and Sofia from "Il Signor Bruschino".


3) "L'aura che intorno spiri" for Amenaide and Tancredi from "Tancredi".


4) "Credete alle femmine" for Selim and Fiorilla from "Il turco in Italia".


5) "Quest'ultimo addio" for Torvaldo and Dorliska from "Torvaldo e Dorliska".


6) "Ah qual colpo" for Almaviva and Rosina (plus, Figaro) from "Il barbiere di Siviglia".


7) "Un soave che non e" for Ramiro and Angelina from "La Cenerentola".


This one is a really special piece of music. Possibly one of Rossini's best scenes of this type: very lyrical with just a hint of sentimentality; a perfect invocation of love at first sight.

Unlike the numerous versions of the well-known story of the Cinderella where the heroine mets her prince at the ball, Rossini's variant gives the prince and his future bride an opportunity to see each other in a rather more different light, without all the bright lights and glittering gowns. Basically, they just see each other and fall in love.

The duet follows a very interesting pattern: first, two couplets for the characters, so they can express their feelings; then a very beautiful section which utilizes the same words and music but this time the characters actually finish each other's sentences; a tempo di mezzo follows during which the characters leave their inertia and return to their tasks: Angelina starts cleaning up the broken cup, and Ramiro inquires about the daughters of the Baron who promptly shout for Angelina; and, finally, as the girl leaves, both lovers relate how magical their meeting was.

The duet is sung by Joyce DiDonato and Jose Manuel Zapata.